


Rematch

by Dolimir



Category: Smallville
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-27
Updated: 2011-12-27
Packaged: 2017-10-28 06:58:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/305065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dolimir/pseuds/Dolimir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My very first Smallville story. Originally published in 2003.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rematch

"How did you know?"

Lex allowed a small smile to grace his lips as he moved his pawn forward. "If I tell you, it'll only make you mad."

His opponent studied the board for a moment, then mirrored his opening. "I think I'd still like to know."

Lex moved a different pawn, but only a single space this time. "Although he may have died ten years ago, Jonathan Kent's righteous indignation has forever been burned into my brain."

The hand that was reaching forward, stopped briefly, then moved a pawn two spaces. "I see."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry that you recognized me?"

Lex shook his head minutely. "No, sorry that you still carry his anger."

"Why shouldn't I carry his anger? He was a good man."

"Even good men can be blinded to the truth."

His opponent studied his face for a moment, then frowned. "And just what truth would that be?"

Lex moved his bishop to the left, then sat back in his chair, rested his elbows on the arm rests and steepled his fingers. "That I'm not my father."

"You could have fooled me."

Lex chuckled. "Apparently, I have."

"Meaning what?"

Lex watched his opponent make his move. "We were friends once."

Green eyes blinked sadly at him. "I remember."

"You knew I wasn't my father then."

"Times change."

Lex reached out and casually made his next move. He shook his head and smiled sadly as he leaned back into his chair.

"What?"

"You're a reporter, Clark. Someone who's paid to unearth the truth and yet you choose not to see the facts as they are."

"Just what are you getting at, Luthor?"

Lex looked down and twisted a very elegant gold ring around his index finger. "You can't even say my name anymore, can you?"

"I thought Luthor was your name," Clark said shortly, making his own move on the board.

"No," Lex said, looking up. "It was his name; and you use it as a way to categorize me. To remind yourself of who I am."

"As if I could forget."

Lex raised an eyebrow, then made his move, without apparent thought. "Just what exactly is your beef with me, Clark?"

"My beef? My beef?"

"Yeah, your beef."

"My... beef with you, Luthor, is that even though you are one of the richest men in the world, you aren't happy with what you have, aren't happy unless you're causing problems." Clark looked like he would slam his piece down, but ended up gently placing it on the board, ever cognizant of his strength.

"What makes you think I'm unhappy with what I have?" Lex challenged.

"Explain the India fiasco?"

Lex smiled, although it was not a joyous one. "Clark, I run one of the biggest corporations in the world. And while the company and its subsidiaries run under my logo, my name, I cannot personally oversee each and every company. Calvins was crooked; brilliant, but dangerous. As soon as his plans were brought to my attention, I shut him down and turned him over to the authorities, fully cooperating with their investigation." Lex made his move, seemingly without looking at the board. "Further, due to that particular incident and a few other problems I've had, I've created an agency whose sole purpose is to police my companies. Surely, you know that? Your friend Lois did quite the flattering in-depth piece on SentinelCor."

"You kept his research."

"Yes, I did. Do you honestly think it would be better for the government to get its hands on it?"

His opponent blinked. "What are you going to do with it?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"I don't know."

"You've read it then?"

"Yes, of course, I've read it. I am a scientist, after all."

"But..."

"Clark, I'm not going to do the whole Mengele debate with you, alright? The point is, I'm not going to continue with the research. It never crossed my mind, whether you choose to believe that or not."

"How can I trust you?"

"Quite frankly, it's not up _to_ you to trust me. Have you ever come across one shred of evidence that I've ever done something illegal or directed someone else to do my," Lex made quote marks in the air, _'evil'_ bidding?"

When his guest remained silent, he continued, "Like I said, I run one of the biggest corporations in the world. My decisions are often ruthless, but they aren't evil. Sometimes I sacrifice smaller companies for the overall picture. Sometimes that means that families lose their homes, but my severance packages are extremely fair... as reported by _The Daily Planet_."

Clark looked at the board in front of him. "Wasn't it Sun-tzu who said, 'Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate'."

"Clark, I'm impressed." Lex chuckled in delight as his opponent made his move. "You've read _The Art of War_. Was it required reading at MetU or did you read it to understand me better?"

The younger man blushed slightly and couldn't quite meet his eyes.

Again, Lex moved a piece without apparently studying the board. "Wasn't it Nietsche who said, 'He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster'?"

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning, how much of my property have you destroyed based on your belief that I'm up to something?"

His opponent opened his mouth to protest, but Lex cut him off. "With no more evidence than your father's righteous indignation."

"But I've found--"

"Basic OSHA violations, which are fairly routine given the nature of certain plants. But again, once a situation is brought to my attention, I usually fire the person in charge, pay the fine and set up new protocols."

"Then why are some of your plants and laboratories kryptonite protected?"

Lex sighed softly. "Clark, do you have any idea what you're costing me in insurance premiums? Not to mention how much research you've ruined the protocols for or how many experiments you've ruined?" Lex pointed to the board and watched his opponent frown before making a move. "We keep volatile chemicals and dangerous samples at LexLab, things that could cause great damage to the surrounding population if they were released into the atmosphere. It would be irresponsible of me not to take every safety precaution possible given your... enthusiasm for monitoring my businesses."

"What are you really trying to say here, Luthor." Lex noted that the name wasn't quite spit as vehemently at him as it had been in the past.

"I'm saying if we were to take your argument of 'like father, like son' to its conclusion, I should have security guards here trying to protect me from a potential murderer."

Again the green eyes blinked at him.

"My father..." Lex cleared his throat. "My father deserved to die. I have no doubt that he got escorted to his place in hell in an express elevator. I'm... I'm just sorry that it was your father who sent him there. He probably had just cause for doing what he did, although I never have discovered the reason for Lionel being out at the farm that day."

The younger man laid a hand over his own heart. "I suspect..."

"Yes. I know. Me, too."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. The past is the past."

"So what now?"

Lex shrugged. "I'm not asking anything from you, Clark. Just let your conscience be your guide as you've always done." He reached forward and moved his bishop. "Checkmate."

His opponent smiled at him. "Good game."

Lex returned the smile. "It always has been."

Clark leaned back into his leather chair. "In the beginning, you didn't quite walk the straight and narrow path that you do now."

"You're right. I didn't. I don't know if I've ever properly thanked you for your... guidance or not."

They shared a conspiratorial smile.

"I've missed you," Clark admitted quietly.

Lex dropped his gaze to the chess board. "As I you."

"Really?"

Lex chuckled, but didn't look up right away. "Yes, really."

"So again, I ask, now what?"

The earnestness of the face looking back at him made Lex's heart ache. "I don't know," he admitted quietly.

A moment of silence passed between them.

"Are you... open to the idea of a rematch?"

Lex raised a curious eyebrow.

The younger man graced him with a sly smile. "To our chess match."

"Can you just put our past behind us that quickly, Clark?"

"Not overnight," Clark admitted quietly. "But what better way to reassure myself than to look for the truth first hand."

"Ah, but won't being seen with me sully your alter-ego's reputation?"

Clark shrugged. "Perhaps. But didn't Nietzsche also say something along the lines that all the interesting people are missing from heaven?"

Lex smiled. "Close enough. So you're saying..."

"Maybe it's past time for Superman to broaden his horizons a little." Clark hesitated a moment. "That is... if you're amenable."

"Well, hanging out with a boy scout might damage my reputation in the criminal mastermind inner circle, but I think I'll chance it."

Clark barked out in laughter, making Lex chuckle. The younger man stood and Lex followed suit, taking the hand that reached toward him and shaking it.

"Until tomorrow night at, say, ten-ish?"

"I'm going to be in London tomorrow."

"And your point is?"

"Tomorrow it is." Lex smiled. "I look forward to the rematch."

"So do I, Lex. So do I."


End file.
